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This week:
Bechukotai

Twice every seven years, in the fourth and seventh
years of the Sabbatical cycle, the Jewish farmer
must testify that he correctly distributed tithes from
his crops. He makes the following declaration, preferably
in the Temple itself:

“I have removed all the sacred portions from my
house. I have given the appropriate ones to
the Levite and to the orphan and widow….
I have not violated Your commandments, and have forgotten
nothing.” (Deut. 26:13)

What exactly is this declaration? The Mishnah explains as
follows: “I have not violated Your commandments” —
I have been punctilious in all the laws
of ma’aserot, such as tithing each type of produce separately.
“And have forgotten nothing” — this does not
refer to forgetting the mitzvah, but its spiritual
context: I did not forget to bless You
and mention Your Name when tithing (Ma’aserSheini 5:11).

What is special about tithing, that only this mitzvah
requires such a declaration? Why must we testify
that we were punctilious in all its minutiae,
and remembered to praise God when distributing ma’aser
to the Levite and the poor?

Meticulousness in Mitzvot

There are two aspects to every mitzvah. First, each
mitzvah has its own unique function and purpose.
In addition, all mitzvot are Divine commands, enabling
us to connect to God. They elevate our
emotions and character traits, as they resonate with
the innermost soul.

How do we show that we are performing a
mitzvah as a command from God? By carefully complying with all
of its rules. Many
mitzvot have a clear and obvious purpose. Were
they simply a matter of good citizenship or
societal obligations, we would perform them anyway —
but without such meticulous observance. Punctilious attention to
each detail demonstrates our awareness that we are fulfilling
God’s Will.

The mitzvah of tithing serves obvious purposes. Some of
the produce goes to feeding the poor and
needy (ma’aserani), while the rest
(terumah
and ma’aserrishon) supports Torah study and
Divine service by providing
for the kohanim and Levites, the spiritual leaders of the nation. Especially
with regard to mitzvot whose purpose seems obvious,
it is important that we recognize that our
intellectual powers cannot fully grasp all of their
significance and beauty; nor can we truly appreciate
the extent of their national and universal benefit throughout
the generations.

For mitzvot with revealed reasons such as tithing, it
is important to declare that we discharged them
meticulously. We should look at mitzvot just as
any other creation of God. The commandments have
exact parameters, just as the laws of nature
operate according to precise rules and processes.

The Privilege of Giving

Why is it so important that we praise God
by reciting a blessing when performing the mitzvah
of tithing?

An individual who supports others could mistakenly believe that
he is the one providing assistance. He may
harbor thoughts of his own greatness and importance,
leading him to look down on those who
receive his help. Such an attitude could undo
any spiritual benefit gained from the charitable act. This
danger is particularly serious with regard to the kohanim.
It is not enough that the nation supports
the kohanim’s efforts to disseminate Torah. The kohanim and
their spiritual activities need to be beloved and
respected by the people. How sorry are those
who measure success by the amount of glittering
metal they manage to hoard!

In order to prevent this misconception — that those
giving are superior to those receiving due to
their greater financial means — the benefactors must
truly understand that not only are they giving,
they are also receiving an immense benefit. By
supporting Torah study and the Temple service, they become
partners in spiritual endeavors that uplift the entire world.

Therefore, they must not forget to bless God, and
express their gratitude for the wonderful privilege to
be part of this great enterprise.